Collar shaper



March 7, 1933. FARRELLY 1,900,547 7 COLLAR SHAPER Filed Feb. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. We?

ZM Z WY M A TTORNEYS.

P. FARRELLY COLLAR SHAPER March 7, 1933.

Filed Feb. 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llml l .lniils ii ,Illu i A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orator:

PATRICK FARRELLY, or SAN F ANC SCO, cALIFoaNIA COLLAR SHAEPER Application filed February 11, 1931. Serial No. 515,000.

of ashirt which has been handled in this manner, while it maybe very neatly ironed, does not lie'flat against the shirt, but stands up,

assuming a more or less oval shape. Conse quently, the collar cannot befolded with the shirt into the customary flat package for delivery without considerable difficulty.

It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide mechanical means for shaping the collar of the shirt neatly and quickly, and further, for maintaining en-- gagement with the collar whilethe shirt is being folded, thus expediting the entire fold-' ing operation.

Oneform that the invention may assumeis exemplified in the accompanying drawings and following specification, in which further objects and advantages will be apparent;

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a collar folder embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 showing the parts of the collar folder in the positions they assume while a shirt is being placed on it.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the collar folder and a shirt beingiplaced on it.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially to the views shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 1,1 show a vertically disposed supporting plate secured to one end of a folding table, generally indicated at 11 in Fig. 41. Disposed adjacent the vertical supporting plate 10 are a pair of vertically disposed and parallel bars 12'and13. A pair of links 14: and 15 are pivotallysecured'as a't 16 to the supporting plate and 'pivotally secured as at17 and 18, respectively, to the bars" 12 and 13. Similarly, links 19 and 20 are 7 pivotally secured to the plate 10 at 21' and '5 pivotally connected at 22 and 23'respective 1y, to the bars12 and 13, By means of these connections the bars 12 and 13'ar'e free to" move'upwardly and toward each other, being maintained in parallelism and guided in such movement by the links 14:, 15,19 and 20.

A spring 24' is carriedby the pivot 16"and is secured at its ends to the pivots 17 and18 end'urges the b rs 12am 1?. outwardly and downwardly A ilar Spring- 25 may employed if desired in connection with the links 19 and20, as shown. Downward'and outward movement of the bars 12 and 13 is limited by blocks 26' and 27' secured to the plate 10. Upward and inwardmovement of the'bars 12 and 13 is accomplishedby means of the following mechanism:

A bell crank 28 ispivotally connected to the" plate 10 at 29andal'so pivoted at 3( )tothe bar 13 so; that downward movement of the arm 31" of the bellcr'ank will cause thebar 13 to move upwardly and inwardly. Inorder to impart similar movement to the bar 12, a gear 32 secured with relation to the bell crank 28is in mesh with a gear 33'rotatablymountedon the plate 10. The gear 33 carries an arm 34 pivotally connected as at 35 to the bar 12.

Thus, downward movement of the arm 31 not only imparts motion to the bar 13 but through the gears 32 and 33 and the bar34', causes the bar 12 to move upwardly and inwardly. The position assumed by. the bars upon downward motion of the arm 31' isil-- lustrated'in Fig. 2.

Any suitable means may be employed' r actuating the bellcrank in the'manne'r described and I have-shown for purposes-of illustration a foot pedal 36 connected by means of a spring wire 37, guided in a flexible cable 38, to the arm 31, whereby downward pressure upon the pedal 36 will impart downward.

movement to the arm 31 and cause the above described motion of the bars. v

Connected to the upper ends of the bars 12 and 13 are a p'air'of fingers 37 and 38' formed on an angle so as to overlie one end of the top of the folding table. These fingers are provided with outwardly flared edges 39 so that when they are brought together they assume a wedge like or tapered shape and are removably connected, as by screws 40, to the bars 12 and 13, so that they may be quickly and conveniently replaced in case of breakage.

The operation of the device is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. Referring to Fig. 3 a protective housing 41 is shown as enclosing the greater part of the mechanism above described and the fingers 37 and 38 are illustrated in the position assumed by them when the pedal 36 has been depressed. When the fingers are" in this position the collar portion of a shirt 7 is slipped over their ends as shown, and the pedal is then released to permit thefingers to move downwardly and apart, as shown in Fig. 5. This downward and outwardmovement of the fingers 37 and 38 causes the collar of the shirt to be spread and flattened and the operator may then by exerting a slight pull on the tail portion of the shirt, cause the collar to be firmly engaged by the tapered edges 39 of the fingers. The shirt in this position is ready for folding and the conventional cardboard stifiener may be applied if desired.

end, thus dispensing with the necessity of the usual holding devices employed for this purpose.

While I have shown the collar shaper attachedto the extreme end of the folding table, it should be understood that a portion of the table may be notched or recessed if desired so that the operating mechanism does not extend outwardly beyond its end, or the mechanism may be mounted beneath the table and the fingers may extend upwardly through a slot suitably formed in the top of the table at any desirable position. Then the device isniounted as shown, I employ a guide bar 42 to prevent movement of the fingers away from the supporting plate 10.

WVhile I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that various changes may be resorted to'in the arrangement and construction of its several parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device for shaping shirt collars, a pair offiat fingers adapted to overlie a folding table ina plane parallel to the top thereof, means normally urging said fingers downwardly and apart, and means for causing said fingers to move upwardly and toward each other.

'2. In a device for shaping shirt collars, a

means normally urging said fingers downwardly and apart, means limiting their downward movement, and means for causing said fingers to move upwardly and toward each other.

3. A device of the character described comprising a pair of relatively fiat co-planar finger members, tapered outer edges on said finger members, means for causing said finger members to move upwardly and toward each other, and means normally urging said finger members to move downwardly and away from each other.

4;. A device of the character described comprising a pair of relatively fiat parallel finger members disposed in. spaced relation, means normally urging said members apart, and means operable to bring said members together, said fingers having tapered outer edges to form a Wedge-shaped support for a shirt collar. 1 p

5. A device of the character described comprising a pair of relatively fiat finger members, means normally urging said finger members apart, and means for causing said finger members to move toward each other, said finger members having their outer edges dis- 7 posed at diverging angles to prevent the re- During the folding operation the fingers 37v and 38 serve to hold the shirt firmly at one moval ofa collar therefrom while they are urged apart.

6. The combination with a shirt folding table of a device for shaping and maintaining engagement with the collar of a shirt, said device comprising a pair of parallel fiat fingers around which the collar may be positioned, and means for separating said fingers to shape and engage the collar.

7 A collar shaping device of the character described comprising a pair of fingers, a pair of bars supporting said fingers, links pivotally engaging the'bars and pivotally secured to a stationary support,and means for imparting movement of said bars about the pivotal support for said links.

8. A collar folding device of the character described comprising a pair of fingers, a pair of bars supporting said fingers, link members pivotally secured to said bars and to fixed points adjacent the bars for maintaining the bars parallel, and means for causing the bars to move toward each other on their pivotal supports.

9. A collar shaper of the character described, comprising a pair of relatively fiat, elongated finger members arranged parallel to each other insertable in the collar of a shirt and means for urging said finger members apart to assume a spaced position to, engage opposite sides of the collar and cause it to assume a fiat position.

10. A collar shaper of the character described, comprising a pair of relatively flat, substantially parallel elongated finger members ins'ertable in the collar of a shirt and means for urging said finger members apart to assume a spaced co-planar position to engage opposite sides of the collar and cause it to assume a fiat position, said finger members having tapered outer edges to retain the collar against removal therefrom While they are urged apart.

PATRICK FARRELLY. 

